Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer
Home / What Is the Significance of the Blue and White Checkerboard on Oktoberfest Beers

What Is the Significance of the Blue and White Checkerboard on Oktoberfest Beers

Post a Comment

Oktoberfest Party Ideas for Your Restaurant

Oktoberfest (Wiesn), is a German festival beloved worldwide. More than just a drinking holiday, Oktoberfest has a rich history, participatory events, and cherished traditions. Hosting an Oktoberfest party is a great opportunity for restaurants to show off their beer pairing menus and attract customers.

Keep reading to discover authentic and profitable Oktoberfest party ideas, or click any of the links to jump ahead to the section that intrigues you most.

  • Oktoberfest Explained
  • Socially Distanced Oktoberfest Event Ideas
  • Oktoberfest Themed Party Ideas
  • Sample Oktoberfest Menu
  • Oktoberfest Beer
  • Oktoberfest Origins
  • Top Oktoberfest Celebrations in the US

What Is Oktoberfest?

Girls dressed in traditional Bavarian garb standing next to steins of beer at Oktoberfest.

Originating in the Bavarian city of Munich, Germany, and celebrated in cities across the globe, Oktoberfest is the world's largest folk and beer festival. Approximately six million people don traditional Bavarian clothing and flock to Munich's Oktoberfest each year. These revelers attend parades, play traditional games, and consume an average of 7 million liters of beer in a two weeks.

When Does Oktoberfest Start?

Modern Oktoberfest celebrations begin in mid-September and last until the first week of October. Oktoberfest's September start date raises skepticism in many who ask themselves, "Why is it called Oktoberfest if it starts in September?" Oktoberfest originally began and ran its course in October, but they moved it into September so attendees can enjoy warmer weather.

Will Munich have Oktoberfest 2022?

Last year, Munich canceled its 2021 Oktoberfest to ensure the safety of prospective attendees. This year, the 187th Oktoberfest celebration will take place from September 17th to October 3rd in 2022.

Socially Distanced Oktoberfest Event Ideas

As the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, your restaurant can incorporate Oktoberfest promotions in safe, socially distanced ways. Beyond offering traditional German food, here are the top 3 ways your business can safely celebrate Oktoberfest in 2022.

  1. Create a Biergarten: Increase your patio dining space's profitability by temporarily transforming it into a themed Biergarten for Oktoberfest.
  2. Oktoberfest Trivia: While many traditional Oktoberfest games aren't pandemic friendly, offering Oktoberfest trivia at your restaurant or taproom facilitates friendly competition.
  3. Discounted Beer Delivery Packages: Celebrate Oktoberfest in 2022 by offering discounted beer delivery packages and unique craft/imported to-go beer bundles.

Oktoberfest Party Ideas

Man and woman in traditional Bavarian garb playing the accordion at an Oktoberfest themed party

If you want to bring Oktoberfest to your restaurant or bar, check out these Oktoberfest themed party ideas to help plan your event.

1. Host a Ceremonial Keg Tapping

Germany's Oktoberfest can't begin until the mayor of Munich taps a ceremonial keg of beer and proclaims, "O'Zapft is!" or "It's tapped!" Beginning with a similar spectacle generates excitement. Gain media exposure by inviting your city's mayor or a local celebrity to tap your first Oktoberfest keg.

2. Use Oktoberfest Decor

Traditional Oktoberfest decor features a blue and white checkered pattern as seen on the flag of Bavaria. Decorate your tables with these classic checkered tablecloths, and switch out your usual napkins for black, red, and gold to represent the German flag.

3. Provide Traditional German Music

Many people associate Oktoberfest with old-fashioned Oompah music played by brass instruments and accordions. However, Germany's modern Oktoberfest playlist includes top 40 hits. For your restaurant's Wiesn, play whatever genre befits your target audience.

4. Play Oktoberfest Games

Hosting Oktoberfest games turns your party into a full-blown event. You can charge participation fees to generate profits. Below are the most popular Oktoberfest games.

  • Yodeling Competition: Popular in Bavaria and fun around the world, a yodeling competition is a traditional Oktoberfest game that requires little to no setup or supplies.
  • Masskrugstemmen (Stein Holding): This Oktoberfest game tests your guests' strength and endurance by challenging them to hold a full stein above 90 degrees. Whoever lasts the longest wins.
  • Chicken Dancing: Joyful groups of people dancing the chicken dance have become a staple at Oktoberfest events. This Oktoberfest party idea provides fun for the entire family. The only things you'll need are the music and a large enough space for people to break out their best moves.
  • Sausage Eating Contest: Another all-ages activity, sausage eating contests are a fun Oktoberfest game. Consider crowning the winner the "Sausage King/Queen" and keeping previous years' winners on display to spark annual interest within your community.
  • Beer Stein Race: Challenge guests to see how many filled beer steins they can run with. If they spill, they're out!

Oktoberfest Menu Ideas

Serving authentic German foods is an integral part of any Oktoberfest party. Check out our suggestions for your Oktoberfest party food.

Soft pretzels

1. Oktoberfest Appetizers

  • Soft Pretzels: As one of the most widely recognizable German foods, soft pretzels are a great way to start your Oktoberfest meal. Serve them with German mustard to complete this appetizer.

  • Cheese Plates: Pair German cheeses like Limburger, Muenster, and Butterkase with pumpernickel or rye bread.

2. Oktoberfest Entrees

Oktoberfest meal with brats on blue plate.

  • Sausages: For this classic main course, try serving bratwurst, bierwurst, or knockwurst with crusty rolls.

  • Schnitzel: This dish is made of pounded pork, veal, or turkey cutlets. Schnitzel experts carefully bread the meat and fry it.

  • Roast Chicken: Munich's Oktoberfest attendees consume thousands of rotisserie-roasted chickens each year. If you don't have a rotisserie, oven-roasted chicken is a great alternative.

3. Oktoberfest Side Dish

Spaetzle

  • Sauerkraut: This traditional German side is made of finely cut fermented cabbage. Make your own if you want a fresher, more pungent flavor.

  • Potato Salad: German-style potato salad contains red potatoes, bacon, and mustard.

  • Spaetzle: Similarly to pasta, you can make spaetzle from dough that is cut into small pieces and boiled.

4. Oktoberfest Dessert

Oktoberfest chocolate cake with white icing on plate with fork.

  • Black Forest Cake: Black Forest cake is a chocolate sponge cake layered with whipped cream and kirsch infused cherries and topped with a chocolate ganache or rimmed in chocolate shavings. Black Forest cake is called Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte in German, which literally translates to "Black Forest cherry-torte". Traditional Black Forest cake contains alcohol because kirsch is a clear brandy produced by double distilling morello cherries. Kirsch is made in the Black Forest of Germany.

  • Apple Strudel: This sweet dish contains apple slices, spices, and nuts that are rolled in pastry and baked until crispy.

  • Plum Knodel: To make these dessert dumplings, plums are wrapped in a dough that is made from potatoes and flour, and then they are boiled and rolled in bread crumbs.

5. Oktoberfest Drinks

Oktoberfest beer in glass mugs with pretzels.

  • Beer: As the cornerstone beverage of this festival, beer is a must-have for your Oktoberfest party menu. For added festivity, limit your offerings to German imports or bready and dark beers that are perfect for fall.

  • Orange Cola: Mimic a popular German soft drink by mixing equal parts of cola and orange soda.

  • Apfelschorle: Provide guests with another non-alcoholic option by combining equal parts of apple juice and sparkling water.

Back to Top

What Is Oktoberfest Beer?

Stein filled with an Oktoberfest beer

The beers sold at Munich's Oktoberfest carry the official Oktoberfestbier® trademark. To safeguard tradition, quality, and cultural identity, Munich's Oktoberfest only serves beers brewed in Munich that meet the uncompromising standards of the Edict of Purity. The 1516 Edict of Purity (Reinheitsgebot) specified that Bavarian beers must only contain barley, hops, and water.

In modern Germany, the Reinheitsgebot was replaced by the less stringent "Giergesetz" (The Beer Law). However, Oktoberfest beers are held to the Edict of Purity's standards. Six Munich breweries carry the official Oktoberfestbier® trademark, and they alone brew the beers served at each Oktoberfest event.

  1. Paulaner
  2. Hacker-Pschorr
  3. Augustiner
  4. Hofbrau
  5. Lowenbrau
  6. Spaten

The Evolution of Oktoberfest Beer

While we can broadly categorize the types of beers served at global Oktoberfest celebrations as lagers, Oktoberfest beers have evolved over the centuries.

  • 1810: When Oktoberfest first began in 1810, the beer of Munich was the dark lager, Dunkel.
  • 1872: A type of amber beer called Marzen became popular in Munich in 1872. Marzen (March) beers were brewed in the spring and left to ferment over the summer to prepare for the Oktoberfest event. Marzens served at Oktoberfest contain a higher alcohol content than other varieties. Early Oktoberfest Marzens had a biscuity, malty taste and aroma. To this day, American brewers make Marzens in this sweet style for our Oktoberfest events by incorporating Munich and caramel malts. However, amber-colored, sweet Marzens are no longer served at Munich's modern Oktoberfest.
  • 20th Century: As the 20th century progressed, Munich's Oktoberfest beers were made with increasingly paler malts. Modern Oktoberfest beers served at Munich's Oktoberfest are golden hued.

History of Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest Celebrations

The first Oktoberfest kicked off on October 12th, 1810, and concluded with a horse race five days later to commemorate the marriage celebration of the Bavarian crown prince, Ludwig, and Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. They were benevolent rulers who opened their marriage celebration festival to the public of Munich and continued the tradition each year to foster community.

Best Oktoberfest Celebrations in the US

Some of the best Oktoberfest celebrations in the United States take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Cincinnati, Ohio; Fredericksburg, Texas; and Reading, Pennsylvania. While the biggest Oktoberfest celebration remains in Munich with over 6 million people attending annually, cities around the world have adopted this festival to welcome the changing season.

Back to Top

Hosting an Oktoberfest party at your restaurant allows you to be creative with temporary decor and menu items. When you bring this German festival to your establishment, you can also attract new customers seeking seasonal events. Before you look for German recipes, refer to this blog for Oktoberfest party ideas you can use at your restaurant.

ugartepaltaing.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/blog/2296/oktoberfest-party-ideas.html

You may like these posts

Post a Comment for "What Is the Significance of the Blue and White Checkerboard on Oktoberfest Beers"